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From Nuffnang

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Fidel V. Ramos: The President Who Undertook the Most Number of State Visits

Former President Fidel V. Ramos, who celebrates his eighty-sixth birthday today, made 24 state visits during his six-year term from 1992 to 1998. It was the highest number of such category of foreign trips among all Philippine chief executives.

According to the official gazette of the Philippine government, the state visit is the highest form of diplomatic interaction between the Republic and foreign nations, so it demonstrates the highest form of diplomatic ceremony. It includes full arrival honors and a state luncheon or state dinner that is held in honor of the visiting head of state. The state visit is undertaken at the invitation of the host country.

President Ramos at the Pentagon (Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense)

In comparison, the official visit is undertaken by the head of government at the invitation of the head of a foreign government or of a foreign high-ranking government official. A state luncheon or state dinner is not required in official visits. Working visits, which concentrate on topical agendas, do not require an invitation from the host country. Working meetings are conducted and media availability may be provided.

Shortly after Ramos' election in 1992, Ramos traveled to Brunei Darussalam (October 4 to 6) and to Thailand (December 17 to 20), both on official capacity. Following is a list of the ensuing state visits undertaken by the 12th President of the Republic of the Philippines:

1993
January 27 to 30 - Malaysia

February 11 to 13 - Singapore

March 9 to 13 - Japan

April 25 to May 1 - People’s Republic of China

April 25 to May 1 - Hong Kong

May 23 to 26 - Republic of Korea

September 20 to 24 - Indonesia

1994
August 6 to 8 - Brunei Darussalam

1995
March 6 to 8 - Amsterdam

March 16 to 18 - New Zealand

March 18 to 23 - Australia

Note: Ramos attended three summits in 1996: ASEM Meeting in Thailand (February 29 to March 3), Nihon Keizai Shimbun's International Conference in Japan (May 16 to 17) and ASEAN Leader's Informal Meeting in Indonesia (November 27 to December 2). He made an official visit to Brunei Darussalam on August 18 to 19.

1997

March 2 to 5 - India

March 5 to 7 - Bangladesh

March 7 to 9 - Pakistan

March 9 to 10 - Qatar

March 10 to 11 - Bahrain

June 21 to 22 - Oman

June 22 to 24 - Greece

September 13 to 15 - Kuwait

September 15 to 17 - Czech Republic

October 15 to 17 - Myanmar

October 17 to 18 - Lao People's Democratic Republic

November 26 to 27 - USA

November 27 to 30 - Canada

Ramos' last foreign trip as President happened from April 7 to 10, 1998, when he went to the United States in an official capacity.